Bucatini amatriciana is one of the most famous and appreciated dishes of Roman cuisine. Taught in many cooking classes and offered in possibly every menu across the city, when you order it, it’s important that you are actually ordering the authentic recipe. And this is why I drew this easy list of the best amatriciana in Rome.
Romans are very proud of their traditional cuisine and how it’s prepared and shown to the world. For example, locals really care about the difference between pancetta and guanciale when preparing amatriciana, or the importance of the pecorino cheese.
In this post, I reveal a few of the Roman restaurants where you can find the authentic amatriciana dish, prepared according to tradition, and served with the typical local pride.
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Felice a Testaccio
Felice a Testaccio is famous for its creamy cacio e pepe but all the traditional Roman recipes including bucatini amatriciana recipe prepared according to tradition.
I have been to Felice many times with my family and tried many dishes on their menu. They are all great and even though famous for the cacio e pepe, they prepare it with the addition of Parmesan, which is not strictly traditional, while their bucatini amatriciana recipe is more authentic.
Before going to Felice, check out their menu because it changes depending on the day of the week just like tradition commands.
Lo Scopettaro
This is another restaurant in Testaccio that deserves a mention if you are looking for places where locals eat. Lo Scopettaro is a small trattoria serving local dishes prepared as close to tradition as it gets.
Here, you can find the authentic pasta amatriciana recipe as well as other Roman dishes such as rigatoni with pajata offal-based sauce, pollo alla cacciatora chicken, Roman-style tripes, gricia, and carbonara.
Baccano
Located in the city center, Baccano has recently changed chef and is one of our favorite restaurants near the Trevi Fountain. Their amatriciana is saucy and full of flavor, certainly a great experience for locals and tourists.
Baccano is a large and comfortable restaurant where you can take your time to enjoy your meal. Don’t be fooled by the size, though. Even though it has a large dining hall, they run out of tables and seats quite fast so reserving is highly recommended.
Armando al Pantheon
Armando al Pantheon doesn’t really need an introduction. Its strategic position close to the Pantheon and its reputation as a great traditional restaurant makes it a very popular place where you need to book your table up to a week ahead if you hope to find any space.
This is a very nice restaurant and despite its growing fame, they kept the prices very honest and affordable for everyone. So whether you are looking for the best amatriciana in Rome or the best carbonara or coda alla vaccinara, here, you will find it.
Da Checchino dal 1887, one of the best amatriciana in Rome
Da Checchino is a historical restaurant in Testaccio founded in the late 19th century and has been serving traditional Roman dishes since. Apart from an authentic bucatini all’amatriciana pasta, here you will find many dishes of Roman gastronomy from the appetizers to the main courses.
Along with amatriciana, in fact, Da Checchino is perfect if you want to explore the most traditional Roman recipes beyond the iconic and well-known dishes.
Da Enzo al 29
Da Enzo al 29 is a famous and historic restaurant in Trastevere and in Rome. They are proud to carry on with tradition and always serve authentic dishes including our dear amatriciana.
Strictly Roman and proud, Da Enzo sticks to the local food customs and rituals without allowing any international contamination. Simple and flavorful is its motto and seeing the queue at their entrance every day, it seems like it’s working.
Even though so many customers line up for lunch, Da Enzo doesn’t take reservations so make peace with that and accept that if you really want to have lunch here, you will need to show up earlier than opening hours or just stand in line.
Santo Palato
This is in the San Giovanni area near the metro Re di Roma. Santo Palato is a fairly new restaurant managed by a young chef who didn’t take long to build a great reputation for her menu and kitchen.
Their dishes are simple and no-frill and the ingredients used are strictly of the best quality and sourced as close as possible. The amatriciana here is served with thick spaghetti and is prepared using guanciale (pork cheek) just like tradition wants.
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